


When the Music Stops

by the_sun_also_rises12



Category: Splatoon
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Drama, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Friendship, Humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-08-06 18:25:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16392833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_sun_also_rises12/pseuds/the_sun_also_rises12
Summary: User ID 08 has been stuck down in the Deepsea Metro for a long time, trying and failing again and again to escape, to make his way toward the Promised Land.One day he stumbles across Marie of the Squid Sisters, jump starting a chain of events that may finally change his misfortune for the better...But probably not.Octo Expansion re-write.





	1. One More Chance

**Author's Note:**

> So I've always liked the Squid Sisters, and was kind of disappointed at how peripheral they were in the Octo Expansion. I mean, it would've been fine, but the vanilla campaign is so bland that I felt a bit shafted. Which sparked the idea for this story. Hope you guys like it, here we go!
> 
> Agent 8 in this is male, black, and has an afro. As all male octolings should. :P

_Fire burning inside my eyes, this the music that saved my life_  
_Y'all be calling it hip hop, I be calling it hypnotize_  
_Yeah, hypnotize, trapped my body but freed my mind_  
_What the fuck are you fighting for? Ain't nobody gon' win that war_

 

"Test failed."

The bomb strapped to my back exploded. It hurt like hell.

"Test failed."

Pure frustration, blazing white hot. Then pain. And then nothing at all.

"Test failed."

After a while numbness took the agonizing edge off.

"Test failed."

I persisted regardless. I needed to reach the Promised Land. Hear the song that had freed me from my shackles once more.

"Test failed."

Again.

"Test failed." 

And again.

"Test Failed."

A mournful dirge serenaded my soul. Low and slow, in the key of D minor, it marched to its own inexorable beat, humming beneath the surface of my skin like octarians beneath Inkopolis. With each passing day the song grew louder, more insistent, impossible to ignore.

Eventually I realized the song was about sadness. Sadness and emptiness. Why did I persist? I didn't know. I'd shed so much ink and sweat and tears for naught. A cavity cratered in my chest, a chasm full of terrors.

The song that had set me free faded more with each failure, a distant echo of something somewhere some other time. 

"Test failed."

* * *

"That's my bench. Move." 

The blobfish stared at me. I stared back, arms folded, scowling. A long pause bloomed between us. Then, at last, he moved, flesh jiggling, pace turgid and drawn out. If not for the fact that blobfishes were dumber than a box of rocks, I would've thought him mocking me. He lumbered away to another section on the subway.  

I grabbed a magazine off the rack. The bench was cold and hard against my backside, trembling as the subway trundled along the I line. Slumping in my seat, glossy pages filled with bright colored pictures greeted me. They were comforting. I traced them with an idle thumb.

The date showed was two days previous the last publication. When I first found myself trapped down here, I tried using the magazines to track time. But it proved too inconsistent to pin anything concrete down. Time was fluid and amorphous in the Deepsea Metro, at least in relation to Inkopolis.

I started crafting a new mem cake, to express the feelings trapped inside.

_The screams never stop_

_Ball falling away from me_

_I don't want to fail_

Too morbid. And not enough juxtaposition. I tried again.

_Please someone save me_

_It's snowing on Mt. Nantai_

_I cannot escape_

I crumpled the soft playdough into a formless ball. Frustrated, I contemplated hurling it in the garbage can, where it belonged. But no. Once I finished the mem cake, it could be exchanged for some of Iso Padre's neat goodies.

The subway thudded to a stop. A shadow blotted out the flickering fluorescent light above my head. I didn't look up, busy reworking my mem cake, checking the magazine for reference.

"Piss off."

A large, cold hard gripped the front of my armor. It lifted me in the air, easily, as if I weighed nothing at all. The pulsating, unreadable heart shaped face of a sea angel filled my vision.

"Uh, hi, let's talk about this --."

He tossed me out the subway, the absolute wanker. Shifting to octo form, I hit the pavement with a dull  _splat_. My body gurgled and reformed. Dazed, I just laid there. The train left without me.

Then I rolled onto my back, gazing up at the metro's cavernous grey ceiling. Broken lights flickered and flashed. Remnants of Dedf1sh's music drifted along empty halls. The beat pulsed in rhythm with my heart. I tried humming the tune of Calamari Incantation, but couldn't quite find it. 

I stood, gingerly, and began making my way back to central station. Staying outside either it or the subway for long was dangerous. Space and time fluctuated often. Monsters lurked in the dark.

My thoughts ebbed low. The slap of footsteps against ground followed me, my lone companion. I rounded the corner and halted.

Passed out before me was a girl. An inkling girl. One I recognized.

It was Marie of the Squid Sisters.

My heart started beating faster. I went and knelt by her side. She lay curled up, swathed in a pale green kimono, pale tresses framing a beautiful face. Calamari Inkantation roared to life, pounding in my ears. I longed to touch her. Confirm she was real.

I settled for shaking her shoulder. She felt warm, kimono soft as silk beneath my palm. 

Marie stirred, twin golden eyes opening and meeting my own. She yawned, rubbing away the drowsiness. Then she refocused on me, frowning.

"Wha...?"

"Thank you," I blurted out like an idiot. My face warmed.  

Her eyes narrowed, something clicking within them. She scrambled back several paces, crouched in a defensive position.

"An octoling? What do you want? Are you the one who took Callie?" Marie demanded.

"What? No!" My response came out more heated than I intended. Her final question then registered. "Wait, what?" 

We watched each other, wary and guarded. I should've expected this, really, but in my excitement I'd forgotten reality. It all came crashing back down, though. The walls rose up, thick and impenetrable. She was an inkling. I was not. Caution would be required.

The ground trembled. Shadows writhed with unseen creatures. Hidden predators observed us from afar. My neck tingled.

"We can't stay here," I said. "It isn't safe. C'mon."

I made a move as if to help her, changed my mind, and walked away. The rustle of her standing reached me, as did her footsteps, intertwining with my own like a duet. We both stayed quiet, assessing the situation, acutely aware of the others' presence. Or so I imagined. 

Marie stopped when we reached the gate sectioning off the station. 

"What is that?" she asked, uneasy.

"Takes and give weapons. Security reasons, or so I'm told," I responded gruffly, trying to sound like I knew what I was talking about. Which, to be fair, I did. Sort of. 

Much of Kamabo Corp remained a mystery to me. But as one of the longest lived testers, only Tartar and C.Q. Cumber likely knew more about its inner workings.

"That's weird," Marie said.

"Yeah, well, it's the only way through. Trust me, it's safe." 

"Why would I ever trust you?" she asked. 

I paused and then scowled. "Because what other choice do you have?"

Marie hesitated before nodding.

The white walls of the scanner popped up, analyzing me. I felt hot and then cold and then nothing. I stepped through to the other side. Marie soon followed. Her gaze swept the subway station.

"Where are we?" 

"Deepsea Metro Central Station. Deepest shit hole around." I grimaced, regretting the profanity almost instantly. Marie didn't acknowledge it, however. Her brow was drawn, expression lost in thought. 

"You wouldn't happen to know where Callie is?" 

Perhaps I could take advantage of this. Somehow. 

"Nah. Pretty sure I'd remember seeing her." 

Marie re-evaluated me. "Sounds like you've heard of us." 

"Hell yeah. Callie and Marie." I smiled. "Stay fresh!"

I even did the hand gesture, feeling like a colossal moron all the while. But Marie smiled for the first time, faint and wan, but visible nonetheless. 

"I suppose it would be in bad taste to treat a fan rudely, even if you are an octoling." She gave me a sidelong glance, smile transforming into a smirk. In that moment Marie looked the part she played as a member of the Squid Sisters, the snide and snarky yin to Callie's bright and bubbly yang. I shuffled, unsure how to respond. Marie turned serious. "Callie's missing. I've been looking for her, and somehow I ended up here."

"Welcome to the club," I said. "We're all trapped down here."

"There must be a way out." Marie frowned. "I got in, somehow, I can get out too."

"Well, yeah. Talk to Tartar, it's right there." I gestured at the lone telephone presiding over the station. She looked baffled.

Tartar came to life as we approached.

[Searching for User ID... User 08 confirmed. Unrecognized User ID. Searching... searching... processing... updated... welcome, User 10008.]

Huh, coincidence was a funny thing sometimes.

Tartar beeped and booped. Bright music accompanied it.

"Greetings, 10008. My primary objective is to facilitate your journey to the Promised Land. Your current location is: Deepsea Metro Central Station. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

[Assessing communication efficiency... communication efficiency 12.4%... Enabling contemporary speech mode.]

I tilted my head in unison with Marie. This was new.

"What is crackalacking home skillet? Let us bounce to the Promised Land fo sho. I am bout it bout it, so listen while I [SLANG_NOT_FOUND] you the facts."

Marie looked as appalled as I felt. 

"Yeah, yeah," I cut Tartar off. "I'll fill her in on the details. Just give her a CQ-80 and a CQ card."

"Cool beans." 

It shuddered and whirred before vomiting out the necessary equipment. Marie knelt and picked up her new gadgets, still looking both baffled and mildly nauseous. I folded my arms.

"You haven't seen a black haired inkling, have you?" I asked.

"I [ERROR] would require a User ID. You dig, dog?"

Wow, I hate it.

"Whatever. Later." I turned my back on Tartar, watching Marie fiddle with her CQ-80. She bit her lip in concentration. It was adorable. 

"Peace, home slice. Outie 3000!"

"What even is that?" Marie glanced up and caught me staring. I reddened but cleared my throat and jutted out my chin, meeting her gaze head on.

"Tartar?" I asked. She nodded, a hint of a smirk tugging at her mouth. "No idea. It's not usually like that. I think you broke it."

"Are you for eel?" Marie asked. Now it was my turn to smirk. She chuckled, and some of the tension between us eased. 

"Sort of. Tartar's been around as long as I can remember. It doesn't really do much though, and it's harmless. Hey, there's a place nearby where I like to sleep, we can wait for the subway there."

We headed over to a corner of the station occupied by broken lockers and a gumball machine. My home was adjacent to them -- a rather large cardboard box I'd scrounged up. 

Large, worn, dirty blankets lay spread out on the ground, as well as various odds and ends, my mem cake collection, and a pile of clothes and apprehended magazines. Marie took it all in.

"This is seriously unfresh."

"Yeah, well, it's the best we've got," I retorted, stung. It wasn't as if I enjoyed living like this, or letting my idol see my current squalor. Her expression changed, and she almost looked guilty. 

"Right." Marie sat on the blanket, albeit slowly, before glancing at me. "You seem to know this place well."

I took a seat beside her. Some small part of me still couldn't believe that I'd found and was communicating with  _Marie_  of the  _Squid Sisters_. Talk about surreal.

"True enough. I've been around the block more than a few times." I kept it vague. Marie didn't need to know the rather unflattering details. "Here's the deal. This entire facility is owned by Kamabo Corporation. They run a bunch of tests, and we need to pass them. Once we do, we'll get to the Promised Land -- the surface." 

Water dripped out a leaky pipe, the steady  _plink plink_ sound filling the quiet.

"Question," Marie said.

"Shoot."

"Why are they making us do this?"

I blinked. "Uh, I dunno. They're our only way out of here, though, so we kinda have no other option."

"Hmmm." She frowned. "This is weird. Who's in charge? Don't you think they'd listen if they knew a bona fide superstar was stuck in this dump?"

"Maybe?" I replied, uncertain, trying not to bristle. "I suppose you could ask C.Q. Cumber about it. He's on the train. And if anyone's seen Callie, it would be him."  

Marie considered me. Another one of those sly, subtle smirks ghosted across her pale face. "Okay. Sounds like a plan. Y'know, you have me at a disadvantage, knowing me and my name and all when I don't know yours."

"Eh." I took a great interest in my hands, then. "I don't have one. Not one that I remember, anyway." 

My memories were an elusive dream, slipping away whenever I tried to grasp them. 

"You must go by something."

"Does User ID 08 count?" I asked. She stared. Then Marie smiled.

"Agent Eight it is. Honorary ally of New Squidbeak Splatoon." 

I had no idea what the New Squidbeak Splatoon was, but I did know that was one of the worst names I'd ever heard. Still, her words made me happy -- sparked a bit of warmth in my chest. 

The rumble of the train echoed down the tunnel. Our ride had arrived. 

"You won't regret this, Marie. There's no better octoling to help you find Callie, and help you get out of here."

Never had a more false statement ever been uttered.


	2. Keep Ya Head Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some things are going to be different, because, y'know... gameplay mechanics aren't always conducive for written storytelling. Obviously. 
> 
> Still, just a heads up, heh.

 C.Q. Cumber inched toward us.

Slowly. So, so slowly. Each second passed as an individual eternity. The beginning of his slime trail was starting to congeal by the time he reached us. Marie tapped a foot against the floor, arms folded, expression unamused. 

I copied her posture, although I found it a little funny.

"User 08." He rose up and nodded at me. I nodded back. Then he swiveled toward Marie. "Pardon me? I take it this is your first time riding with us..."

"Look, I know you're probably star struck, but you need to get over it," Marie interrupted him, wiggling her fingers. "Yes, I'm  _that_ Marie... from the Squid Sisters."

Silence. C.Q. Cumber stared at her. I fidgeted. 

"So, who can I speak to to get out of here?" she demanded, hands dropping to her sides. 

"No one. Kamabo Corporation's executives don't meet with any of the testers under any circumstances. You have to collect the four thangs if you wish to reach the Promised Land, which I presume is your goal, since you have a CQ-80."

Marie frowned. I pulled out a picture of Callie I'd ripped from my magazine. "Have you seen this inkling?"

"I have not," C.Q. Cumber said. "But I'll let you know if I do."

"Thanks."

"Well, that was a waste of time." Marie walked with me to the back of the train. "And you've gotta be squiddin' me -- how's he never heard of me? Obviously these people aren't very cultured." 

So  _smug_.

"C.Q.'s a workaholic." I resisted the urge to shudder. She blinked. We took a seat on the bench near the magazine rack.

"Anyway, how do we collect those thang things he mentioned?"

Heh. Thang things.

"Well, like he said. This place is run by Kamabo Corporation, and has a bunch of test facilities. We get points by completing tests, and once we've completed enough, we'll be able to unlock the thangs. I already know where they are."

"Sounds easy," Marie said.

"Easy?  _Easy_?" I'd been slouching, but straightened at her careless words, indignant. "These tests are anything but! They're the most... hellish... unfair...  _stupid_ thang -- things in existence!" 

"For you, maybe." She smirked.

Oh,  _okay_. It was on now.

"Pull out your CQ-80," I growled. Taking a moment, I contemplated which test to subject her to first. "Go to... D02."

Marie followed my instructions, briefly distracted playing with the thumbstick, as well as flicking through the different holograms. Then we both realized that she only had one line available, so I pulled my own out. Marie reached over me to fiddle with it, and I jerked away. The train lurched along the subway track.

A couple minutes later my CQ-80 beeped. She'd sent me a text message.

**Agent 2** > _Hellooooo?_

"Cut it out," I said. How could the one who played such an important role in freeing my mind be so fucking annoying? The saying ' _never meet your idols_ ' seemed apt.

"No need to be shell serious about it." She looked inordinately pleased with the bad pun. It was both super cute and super maddening. I coughed but otherwise deigned not to respond. 

* * *

Nervous, I flopped back and forth between octo and humanoid form. C.Q. calmly sat beside me. We watched Marie step out with a scoped E-Liter in hand toward the One Shot Station platform. The bomb strapped to her back pulsed light blue (she'd twisted over her shoulder to stare at it quizzically, but otherwise made no comment).

"This was a mistake," I fretted, remaining humanoid for the moment. "I should be doing this instead. She'll get hurt."

"You've tried --."

"Don't say it," I stopped C.Q. Then I turned back into an octo, squishing my body against the glass wall, as if I could phase through and help Marie that way. 

She eyed the moving grates, the massive balloons, the various crates, appearance cool and collected. I rather envied her poise. 

Marie rested the E-Liter on her shoulder. Aimed the shot. Fired.

A bullet of ink sped toward the grates as the balloons lined up. One exploded, and then another, and then another, causing the crates to shatter in a large chain reaction. They all dissipated.

All except for one.

"You didn't bust all the crates. Test failed." 

The bomb strapped to her back blew up. It happened in slow motion for me. I couldn't see her face. Just watched, helpless, the bomb swell up and detonate.

Seeing Marie explode into a bunch of pieces made me nauseous. Bad memories coiled in my gut. I recoiled from the glass, transforming again, turning toward the respawner and fighting down the urge to retch.

Marie reformed, looking startled and dazed. She touched her chest, glancing around, before meeting my stare. I stumbled to her side.

"Are you okay?" I asked, voice quavering. "This was a bad idea. We should do something easier. I --."

"I'm fine, Eight." Marie gazed beyond me, golden eyes narrowing. "I think I know what to do." 

What?

Before I could voice my objections aloud, Marie marched past me. She returned, using the same scoped E-Liter. 

"She's crazy," I said, amazed. "She just blew up -- I'm pretty sure parts of her are still disintegrating -- and she, she doesn't even seem to care."

"Hmmm." C.Q. stretched, spines extending outward as his back arched. "Inklings are notoriously hardy."

"Stop that. It's creepy."

"Rude." He listened, however, returning to normal.

Marie paced and forth. She lifted her E-Liter, peering through it, and then dropped it, eyeing the crates from a normal view. She repeated this action multiple times.  _What_ was Marie  _doing_? 

Finally she fired. But as the crates began to collapse, Marie lined up a second shot and went  _again_.

The jingle signalling success went off. I exchanged a dumbfounded look with C.Q. The test chamber clicked open and she exited, seeming very pleased.

"Totally krilled it."

"You totally  _cheated,_ " I said, amazed. "It's One Shot station. One! Not one and another one if you're lucky!"

"That wasn't luck." Marie twirled the E-Liter. "It was all skill. Snap shots, baby."

"User 08 is right," C.Q. added. "I must talk to my superiors about this. We'll close the stations for today and review the tape. Such a unique case must be discussed."

"What? Bullsquid!" Marie shouted. I grimaced.

"This is not a good time for puns."

"There's no such thing. Don't be a shore loser."

"Okay, now that's just shit." 

"Be quiet." C.Q. interrupted our argument. "I mean it, there's no protocol for this. Both of you, leave, now." 

* * *

 "You've only been here one day and you've already managed to break both Tartar and the Metro itself," I said. "That's pretty impressive."

Marie ignored me, busy trying to crack open the gumball machine. I sat sprawled out in octo form on my blanket, impassively watching her struggle. After a couple fruitless minutes she gave up and flopped beside me.

"I -- Holy carp! You have a mustache!" Marie shouted. She loomed over me, and I shrank away. 

"What? And don't, oh forget it -- Of course I do! I thought you'd met octolings before?!" I stammered, caught off guard. She scoffed.

"Yeah, but never this close, normally I'm either running from them or splatting them." She reached toward me. I swatted her hand aside with my tentacle, squishing backward.

"No. Bad. No touch." 

"It's adorable," Marie decided. I bristled but chose not to prolong the exchange.

"You handled blowing up really well. I was surprised," I said, attempting a change of topic. 

"I mean, it's not any worse than a splat bomb to the face." Her expression was droll. Inklings were weird. "Plus Gramps put Callie and me through a lot of training, all the way back when we were young. He wanted us ready to face the Octarian Menace."

"Oh." I paused. "Am I a menace to you?"

Marie contemplated my question. "Not really. You're kind of lame."

"Lame?" I frowned, indignant. The weight on my chest lightened. "That's rich coming from the one who thinks dad jokes are hip."

"Puns are not dad jokes." Marie smirked. "They're fresh."

I scoffed but didn't take the bait, letting the absurdity of her statement speak for itself. A brief, companionable lull followed our banter. Then I cleared my throat. "You should probably wear something else if you're serious about completing the tests."

She blinked. "What's wrong with my kimono?"

Absolutely nothing.

"I'm saying that this stuff is pretty strenuous. It might not be the best outfit for the occasion."

"I didn't bring anything else, though. I didn't exactly dress with getting trapped in the gutter in mind."

I ignored that.

"I have some spares. We're about the same size."

Standing, I went and rifled through my meager pile of clothes. A thick dark green jacket greeted me. Turning, I presented it to Marie. She gasped, eyes widening, snatching it out of my hands.

"Where did you get this?" she asked.

"You like it?"

"No, it's hideous. I want it destroyed." Marie glanced at me. "It also belongs to my Gramps. Seriously, where did you get this?"

"I traded for it from a merchant."

Close enough. I'd introduce her to Iso Padre later.

Marie stroked the thick material. Her expression turned pensive again. "I'm keeping this, but I'm not wearing it. I refuse to sink low enough to wear old-timey clothes."

"I mean, you've already got the grey hair..."

She pouted at me.

I shrugged and continued my search. There were only a few other outfits. Marie instantly refused both the null armor and the neo octoling set (I was disappointed she turned down the latter -- the thought of Marie wearing all that tight black leather made my mouth go dry), leaving us at an impasse.

"Let's talk to my contact once the train is back online." I felt more than a little exasperated. "Maybe he'll have something you like."

Marie sniffed. Before she could speak further, a series of clanks and groans rang out. The lights blinkered, half of them turning off, plunging us into darkness. 

"What was that!?"

She couldn't keep the alarm out of her voice. A lone light shone on Tartar, a beacon guiding anyone who happened to stumble here. Marie moved, a quiet rustle, outline dimly visible in the dark. 

"Curfew." I yawned. "I'm going to sleep. You should probably shift, y'know. The station gets really cold, and I've found being smaller helps. Unless you'd rather cuddle, I suppose." 

My suggestion was sardonic.

"Gross, no thanks." But she yawned, too.  

We tidied up the area before putting as much space between us as possible. Curling up, I snuggled into my blankets. But sleep eluded me. Judging from Marie's tossing and turning, she wasn't having much more success.

My C.Q. 80 pinged.

**Agent 2 >**  _We should look for Callie_

"I'm literally two feet away from you."

**Agent 2 >**  _Don't avoid the topic_

I sighed, loudly, and tapped out a response of my own with my stubby tentacles.

**User 08 >**  _Not after curfew, and not while the subway's down. It's too dangerous._

Rustling. The light from her own device flickered. 

**Agent 2 >**  _It's dangerous for Callie too then_

Empathy gave me pause.

**User 08 >** _We're no use to her dead. Besides, maybe she already made it to the Promised Land._

**Agent 2 >**  _C.Q. Cumber would've seen her then_

**User 08 >**  _If she's down here, we'll find her_

Marie didn't reply. Not via text, anyway.

"Thanks. And thanks for worrying about me, earlier. It was sweet," she whispered.

I didn't know why she was whispering, but I felt compelled to follow suit. My membrane warmed and I was grateful for the darkness.

"No problem."

"How many tries did it take you? To pass?"

I froze, debating whether or not to answer.

"I haven't," I mumbled.

"Huh? Speak up, I can't hear you."

"I  _haven't,"_ I ground out. "I failed it a bunch and then gave up and moved onto something else."  

That ended our conversation.

I tried to sleep. But Marie's breathing kept me up, no matter how hard I tried tuning it out. Despite the distance, the presence of another person after so long alone was acutely felt. My thoughts wandered. 

She wasn't what I'd expected. At time Marie could be supremely obnoxious. But I liked her regardless. She was willing to help. Maybe I was just lonely and desperate. 

And I had a hard time differentiating the girl a few feet from me from the figure I'd imagined in my head, a mixture of tattered melody and magazine articles and vague memories -- or notions, more like. All this made my head hurt, thoughts running around in circles until I became exhausted. I hummed Calamari Inkantation, which soothed my agitation somewhat.

Finally I started to drift off, and it was at that moment that a loud ringing jolted me wide awake. 


	3. Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst

I bolted upright, shifting straight out of octo form.

The ringing echoed throughout the cavernous station, deafening in the silence. Disoriented, I twisted, clueless and further confused by the dark. Rustling from my left, and then a light flickered on.

Marie had turned on her CQ-80. Bizarre shadows morphed her features into something almost alien. A shiver crawled down my back.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked, on edge.

"Callie? Gramps? Agent 3?" Marie ignored me. Was I crazy or was she speaking into something? "Is that you?"

Crackling. Words, broken up but vaguely intelligible, stuttered out whatever else she held in her hand. It looked big and bulky. My natural curiosity for any and all technology sparked to life.

"Mic... one, two..." The person cut out.

"Hello?" Marie sounded baffled. Static greeted us.

I turned on my own CQ-80, so that we'd have more light to work with. Marie sat hunched over a bulky black device, shaking it and pressing it against her ear. As if that would do anything.

"Let me see that." I made a move toward her, and she shrank back. A bit hurt, I hesitated before frowning. "Look, I'm good with electronics. Maybe I can jury rig something."

Marie stared, biting her lip. At last, clearly reluctant, she handed over the device. A radio transceiver. I fiddled with the frequency.

"I could've done that too, you know."

"Quiet, let me concentrate. Actually, scratch that -- where did you even get this?"

"It's New Squidbeak Splatoon mandatory equipment," she said without skipping a beat. "We can keep in touch with each other."

I turned the transceiver over. After a couple seconds I pried off the back. "And you kept this... in your kimono? This whole time?"

"What are you implying?" Marie sniffed.

I dropped the subject. The inside of the transceiver was fairly standard, although the details were difficult to make out. If only it was even a bit brighter. An idea struck me.

"Give me your CQ-80, and then go ask Tartar if it will turn some of the lights back on; might end curfew early."

"The phone? I don't want to talk to that thing, it's creepy," she complained, handing over her device. I shot her a look, not quite as effective in the dark. Marie ignored me (I pretended because she couldn’t see my intimidating stare, although most likely she would've ignored me regardless).

"Fine, I'll do it myself, just like everything else." I started to stand, but a hand touched my arm.

"Oi, did you already forget my amazing sniper skills? But all right, I'll go," Marie said. She had soft palms. Her shadow moved toward Tartar.

After a moment I returned my attention to her CQ-80. I knew the device inside and out already, having taken my own apart on several occasions (to learn how it worked and to try and cheat the system). It was capable of communicating with C.Q. Cumber. Time and space in the Deep Sea Metro was malleable. Perhaps I could graft pieces of Marie's CQ-80 with the transceiver to facilitate communication.

There were risks, however. Tartar always droned on about how losing the CQ-80 would have dire repercussions. But we still had mine. Surely Marie could use it as a substitute? Identification and points were kept on the card, anyway, so the system would still differentiate between us.

I paused, weighing the benefits and the risks. If someone outside the Metro was trying to contact Marie, we couldn't afford to let the opportunity slip past us. I heard her tromping back long before she arrived.

"No dice on the lights. But our phone friend's vocabulary has expanded exponentially. He'll be way more fresh from now on." Marie crouched beside me.

She took my CQ-80, directing the light for me to see better. That worked well enough, I supposed, although her leaning over me like that left me skittish. I began pulling parts out of her CQ-80.

"Tartar is not a 'he', don't call it that."

"How rude. What are you doing?"

I gritted my teeth, reigning in my temper. "Improvising."

Marie watched me work, quiet, her expression unreadable. A faint smirk quirked her lips. "You're way too easy to tease -- like needling Callie, but you handle it even worse. I didn't think that was possible."

"Shut up, I'm busy."

* * *

Halfway through the lights shuddered back on. Everything went far smoother.

"Tada." I presented the new and improved transceiver to Marie with a flourish.

"It looks the same." She frowned, adjusting her gramp's jacket. At some point she'd slung it over her shoulders for extra warmth.

I scoffed at her, twiddling the radio in search of the earlier station. "Is anyone still there?"

A beat. Marie smirked. I gestured obscenely, and she snickered. Then:

"Who the heck are you?!" The noise was deafening. I held the transceiver further away.

"Wait, I know that obnoxiously loud voice." Marie grabbed it out of my hand. "Pearl? How did you get on this line?"

I knew Pearl too! She'd replaced the Squid Sisters, alongside Marina. Naturally they were inferior. Second best and all that.

"Oi --."

"Call me MC Princess! My deets? I'm short and sweet! I spit fire make posers perspire. Step to my game? I'll bring the pain. I'm never shook because I'm Off the Hook!"

The transceiver damn near vibrated out of her grip.

"I think she's challenging you to a rap battle." Now I smirked.

"We're not doing this," Marie said, expression droll.

"What, are you a poser then?"

"Are you?" She looked amused.

"My last verses were so dope Iso Padre overdosed." I grinned. "With great power comes great responsibility."

"Get away from me."

We both laughed. 

There was a crackle and a thump on the other end. Unintelligible muttering. We returned our attention to the device.

"Oh my goodness, Pearl, show some respect." A new voice came on. Marina, in all likelihood. "Marie, is that really you? We heard your transmission through a radio on Mt. Nantai. Where are you?"

"Mt. Nantai? That's near Octo Valley." Marie frowned, sitting cross legged beside me. I only vaguely knew Mt. Nantai from magazines, but my heart skipped a beat at 'Octo Canyon'. An echo of a long forgotten song rang in my ears. "I was there looking for Callie, before I somehow wound up deep underground with Agent 8..."

"Oh, you poor dear. I heard about Callie. So you and this... Agent 8... don't know where you are? I'm sorry."

"Technically we do know where we are -- we're in the Deepsea Metro," I butted in. "We just don't know where _that_ is."

"I see. Maybe Pearl and I can work with that. Worry not! From now on you'll have me, Marina aka DJ_Hyperfresh, supporting you!"

So pleasant. So kind. I couldn't help but like her. I'd only read a couple articles on Off the Hook, more interested in the Squid Sisters, but something about Marina always gave me pause. Although maybe it was just the outfit.

"I don't really know what's going on, but hang tight, we got you!" Pearl (loudly) added.

"Thanks, Marina, Pearl." Marie sounded relieved.

Something warm blossomed in my chest. Hope. We weren't alone anymore. Maybe, at last, I could escape.

"Yeah, thanks," I said.

"I'm going to try and pinpoint your signal and use that to analyze your surroundings. We'll be in contact again soon."

The line went dead. Marie and I exchanged glances.

Trembling beneath our feet. A rumble filled the station as the train chugged into view, right on time.

* * *

They passed Marie. C.Q. was unemotional when he told us this. She looked quite smug at the news. He also hadn’t remarked upon her lack of a CQ-80. I was torn between elation and irritation.

Marie was handling the Eight-ball test. I'd already told her what to expect, and offered a few tips regarding the layout. She listened, confident and blasé as ever. It was kind of cool. Also annoying as hell.

My CQ-80 went off.

 **DJ_Hyperfresh >** _Hello? Marie? Are you there?_

Marina. I hesitated before responding.

 **User 08 >** _Hey. This is... Agent 8._

 **DJ_Hyperfresh >** _Oh, I see!_

> _Who are you, exactly? You're helping Marie?_

 **User 08 >** _Yeah. I can send you the CQ-80 schematics._

 _>_   _Should help you figure everything out._

 **DJ_Hyperfresh >** _Wow, thanks. That'll be a big help. So how did you end up down there?_

 **User 08 >** _I don't really know. I've been here a long time._

Once I started typing, I found I couldn't stop. It all poured out. Calamari Inkantation, the tests, how I'd failed, over and over again, until I'd lost all my points. I was trapped in a limbo just like Iso Padre, no past to fall back on, no future to move toward, just... lost. Drifting along without purpose.

Thinking about it, stumbling across Marie was the first good fortune I'd come across in -- ever. Since my emancipation, anyway.

 **DJ_Hyperfresh >** _You're an octoling?_

I blinked and then swore. Still, not much point in pretending otherwise.

 **User 08 >** _Yes._

 **DJ_Hyperfresh >** _I am too_

Dumbstruck, it took me a moment to respond. The world tilted on its axis. I'd seen a few pictures, but nothing that ever made me think -- wow. A strange mixture of happiness and discontent flared up. I wasn't alone.

But at the same time, why did she get to be up there, in the Promised Land, while I was trapped down here? Trapped with all the sanitized octolings incapable of connecting with me? Did Marina ever think about them, ever care about them?

What had she done right, where had we gone wrong?

I could understand the ignorance of an inkling. I didn't know if I could forgive it from another octoling.

 **DJ_Hyperfresh >** _Agent 8_

 **>** _Agent 8?_

 **>** _Agent 8!_

 **User 08 >** _I'm here._

 **DJ_Hyperfresh >** _We're going to get you out of there_

 **User 08 >** _Ok_

I logged off.

My hands shook. I started making a new mem cake. C.Q. watched me.

"Are you all right?" he asked. Before I could respond, the jingle went off. The sound grated on my nerves. Marie stepped out.

"Done," she said.

Some part of me had thought it would be easier once set free.

But it wasn't. It was really fucking hard. And she made it look _so_ simple. Resentment threatened to choke me, then.

"Good for you." Bitterness crept into my tone, against my will. Marie tilted her head but said nothing.

* * *

Marie finished the rest of the line. We almost had enough points to access the first thang already. No sign of Iso Padre, although it might not even matter. Marie still hadn't taken off the old-timey clothes. Sometimes when she thought I wasn't looking, she would touch the buttons, expression a mixture of tenderness and longing.

We returned to central station. I was too restless to sleep, but inertia began setting in; I had nowhere to go and nowhere I wanted to go even if I did. In the end I just laid on my back and stared up at the ceiling.

The lights flickered. Curfew would likely start soon. Water dripped onto concrete, the sound drilling into my brain, an underlying current sweeping me away toward a dark abyss.

_The train comes and goes_

_A never-ending circuit_

_When will I depart_

Marie left me alone. I heard snippets of her conversation with Tartar. That was an effort in futility.

My CQ-80 pinged.

_MC Princess has entered the chat room_

**MC Princess > ** _Yo_

 **>** _Marina said you need something to pump you up_

 **User 08 >** _I don't need anything from either of you._

 **MC Princess > ** _look_

 **>** _you can mouth off to me_

 **>** _but pull that shit on Rina and I'll come down there and 1v1 you scrub_

I smiled despite myself. The thought of someone as tiny as Pearl engaging in fisticuffs amused me.

 **User 08 >** _Okay._

 **MC Princess >** _anyway, here's the playlist I listen to when I'm feeling down_

 **>** _hope it helps_

_bitchdon'tkillmyvibe.mp3_

_MC Princess has left the chat room_

It had been a long time since I heard any music other than what played in my head or what they piped in over the speakers. I pressed play, trembling slightly. The sound was loud and bright, designed to get the blood pumping. Someone started screaming over the instrumentals.

Huh. Interesting. And also rather explicit.

Setting my CQ-80 on the ground, I closed my eyes. The beat thrummed through my veins. My fingers and toes tapped along to the rhythm.

Movement beside me. Marie stayed quiet.

We listened for hours. Curfew came. In the darkness, I felt closer to her. She wasn’t a Squid Sister, or even an inkling: just another person sharing a moment through music. Words weren’t needed.

The playlist ended. Marie stirred. The dim outline of her body sat up.

“You were a big help, you know,” she said. “I wouldn’t have done so well without your advice.”

That stung.

“Don’t patronize me.”

“I’m not. And, you know, that one shot station you struggled with? I bet you could do the same trick I did, since they let me pass and all.”

“I’m terrible when it comes to using chargers.”

“It’s not hard.” I could _hear_ Marie’s smirk.

“For you.”  

“Hey, I can show you how to handle a charger if you want. I was talking to Tartar, and he said there were unused test chambers where we could practice weapons.”

I knew of those chambers. Something tight loosened in my chest.

“Sure.”

“You need to pull your own weight, anyway, I can’t do _everything_ for you.” How did one’s smirk come across through their speech? Truly incredible. I huffed and turned away, although a smile curved across my features.

“Shut up.”


	4. The World is Yours

 Tartar flexed and wheezed. An off key fanfare accompanied its twitching. 

 "Cha-ching!" It spat out a card. "This will allow you unrestricted weapon access in da crib, homies."

 "Don't you feel embarrassed talking like that?" I wondered if death by second hand shame was possible. Tartar whirred.

 "Step off, hater. I [error] feel no such emotions. Besides, I am much more hip and down wit' it since Marie improved my slang database. Now, peace out, for lizzle."

 I raised an eyebrow at her. Marie shrugged.

 "It's a work in progress." 

We boarded the subway. Predatory tunicates clung to the ceiling. Their eyes bored into my back. Coils of silence tightened around us. Inevitable melancholy shrouded the Deepsea Metro like a perpetual fog.

My being rattled in rhythm to the train cart's shaking as it hurtled along the track. I thought about nothing. Then Marie touched me, and I returned with a start. We'd arrived. 

The last time I'd used a training station, it armed me with only an octoshot. Now, a plethora of weapons were available on a bright touch screen. I selected the scoped e-liter. It felt heavy and cool in my grip. Hefting it up, I rested the end on my shoulder and aimed at a training dummy.

"What are you doing?" Marie asked, head tilted and eyes lidded.

"I would've thought that was obvious."

"Don't sass me. And you're holding it all wrong -- here."

She re-adjusted my positioning. The e-liter did feel less clunky to handle, although Marie's quick, assured touches proved distracting. I could've sworn she lingered over my hands, her own a pale, stark contrast. Sudden warmth spread through my body.

"Now try. And use the scope, dork, it's there for a reason." Marie moved back. I swallowed.

"Yeah, yeah."

I fired, aim shaky, rushing my shot, nicking the dummy but not landing a direct hit.

"Perhaps too mobile a target."

"Fuck off," I snapped, and Marie smirked.  

"Calm down. Take your time. Just breathe, Eight, there's no rush."

I scowled but listened. Breathe in, breathe out. Almost unconsciously, I synced my breathing with Marie's. Squinting, I peered through the scope, zooming in, until --.

_Splat._

It felt really satisfying. I'd never even considered practicing in a training area before today. Just like I hadn't considered the possibility that One Shot station could circumvented through other means. What else had I been missing? Maybe we  _could_  do this together. 

A  _plink_ sounded off as Marie tap shot the ink rail. She jumped on it, riding to the apex. I just watched, baffled. Then she jumped off, spinning 360 degrees in midair. Marie fired her own e-liter, completely missing the dummy. I burst out laughing.

"First try," she said, unruffled.

I didn't respond, doubled over with mirth. When had I last laughed like that? It left an ache in my gut; it felt good. At last I straightened, wiping at my eyes. Marie looked amused.

The transceiver rang, interrupting the moment. 

"Yo! It's MC Princess and DJ Hyperfresh, AKA DJ Cold Breakfast, AKA The Fuzzy Dazzler, AKA Catch-And-Release, back at it again!"

Pearl. I rolled my eyes, exchanging an exasperated glance with Marie. 

"Uh, hey. Marie, are you there? And... Agent Eight?" Marina seemed hesitant.

"Yup. We're both here," I said.

"Well, that's, uh, good. I picked up some data thanks to those tests you've been completing, as well as from tapping into the hacked CQ-80 pieces. It seems like you're deep underground in some sort of temporal anomaly, with a powerful magnetic field surrounding the facility. It's almost as if you're in another dimension entirely from Inkopolis."

"Hmm." I began pacing back and forth. Marie followed me with her eyes. "I knew something along those lines already, but it's good to get confirmation. How much time has passed for you?"

"Only a few hours," Marina said, confirming my suspicions.

"Since Marie arrived, two days have passed on our end."

"Well, shit." Pearl whistled. 

"Huh. Have you observed any other abnormalities?" Marina asked.

I thought of the objects often seen floating in midair.

"A few. I can type a report and send it to you."

Marie leaned against her e-liter, watching me quietly.  

"Sounds good. And the more tests you complete, the more we'll learn as well, and the better we can support you guys. Keep it up!"

The line went dead.

"Did you get into a fight?" Marie asked.

"What?" I frowned at her, trying not to bristle.

"You were doing that whole uber-polite thing people do after an argument. That's a classic Callie tactic with her exes. Plus you're all tense."

"Yeah... well... it's nothing."

"You sure about that?"

We stared at each other. At last I sighed and set aside the e-liter. Walking over to the vending machine tucked away in the corner. I swiped my CQ Card, and a packet of frozen chili dogs dropped down. I walked back to Marie.

"It's stupid," I said.

"Try me." 

"Did you know Marina was an octoling?"

"Wha -- really?" Marie gave me a wide eyed stare. I blinked. "We gave Off the Hook a recommendation and everything." 

"And you couldn't tell?" Now I was intrigued. Marie and I sat on the grates, legs dangling, and shared the chili dogs. She made a face but otherwise didn't complain over the cold, rubbery taste. Water dripped from somewhere unseen.

"She looked a little weird, but I never gave it much thought. And Pearl can be very distracting -- not to mention loud." 

In fairness, I hadn't realized it from the pictures, either. Although I, too, would often be distracted, but for a different reason. I snorted. "So I noticed."

"Octolings among us, without us ever realizing it." Marie drew inward. "I wonder what Callie would think. She was always... sensitive."

I ignored the implications there. 

"And you're not?"

Marie didn't answer. I changed the subject back and said, "I just -- I wished I'd been the one up there, and she'd been the one stuck down here. Terrible, I know, but when I found out what she was... that's how I felt. Reaching the surface is -- it's what's keeping me going, what keeps me fighting. It's my dream. And it feels so far away, and yet there she is already, without any struggle. It's not... fair."

"I sort of get what you mean," Marie said, slowly. For some reason, I sensed that she truly did understand. We munched on our food in silence. A glob of sauce stuck to the corner of Marie's mouth, unnoticed by her. I tried not to stare.

"Ever think about how hot dogs are just weird sandwiches?" I asked.

Marie looked taken aback. Then she smirked. "That sounds like the sort of thing a member of Team Marshmallow would say."

"It's just common sense." I smirked, too. Then I did something both very brave and very stupid. I leaned forward, wiping some of the sauce smeared across the corner of her mouth. 

I half-expected Marie to punch me. Instead she blushed, pale face turning an alluring shade of pink. My own face heated up, and my hand tingled. We avoided eye contact. I wiped my hand on my shorts and spoke, desperate to break the awkward silence. "Do you ever miss doing that gig?"

A long pause. I found the courage to look at her again.

"No." Marie pulled no punches. Her expression smoothed over. She finished her chili dog and jumped down, landing lightly on the dull concrete floor. "Let's get practicing." 

* * *

"What do you mean I don't have enough points?" I was outraged, although not wholly surprised. 

"We've been through this before, Eight." C.Q. sounded calm, the sort of disparaging tepidness that came off as condescending, but that left the person surprised when someone inevitably went off on them for utilizing it. 

"C'mon, cut me some slack, I've got this one in the bag this time."

"You always say that," C.Q. retorted. Son of a  _bitch_. 

"Could I share some of mine with him?" Marie asked. We both stared at her, distracted from our argument. 

"Hmm... maybe, I might need to talk with my superiors about this, though --."

"Seriously?" I blurted out. 

CQ eyed me. His spikes rippled. "Are you sure? It'll set you back quite a way."

"Yeah," Marie said. Silence.

"For you, Eight, I suppose I can allow it," he said at last.

I could've kissed him. Once the transfer was complete, I stepped out onto the main station platform, scoped e-liter in hand. Marie gave me a thumbs up.

My heart clogged my throat. All the boxes, the paint balloons I needed to pop, it all seemed very far away. The bomb strapped to my back pulsed. Time slowed to a crawl.  

I tried to remember Marie's instructions over the roaring in my ears. Hold the gun correctly, peer through the scope, and breathe.  _Just breathe, Eight._

The grates lined up. I fired. They exploded, and I flicked the e-liter toward the unbroken box in the corner. The scope zoomed in, closer, closer, closer --.

Music jingled. I'd succeeded. I'd succeeded! Resisting the urge to fist pump, I turned, facing them. She looked proud. He looked the same as ever.

Cheeky," C.Q. said.

"What'd I tell you?" Marie smirked. "Easy. We'll be out of here in no time."

"Yeah, yeah. You say that now." But a grin softened my grunted response. 

* * *

We passed quite a few more tests. For the first time in a long time, I was making progress. It put me in a good mood.

After curfew, and once I was sure Marie had fallen asleep, I texted Marina.

**User 08 >**  _Sorry if I seemed distant earlier. I was angry, but I'm not any more. It's not your fault what happened. Thank you for helping us._

An hour later:

_DJ_Hyperfresh has joined the chat room_

**DJ_Hyperfresh > ** _I feel so awful about what happened to you_

**>**   _Like it's my fault_

**>**   _when I escaped octavio all I could think about was myself, not anyone else_

_>_   _if I hadn't been so selfish maybe I could've helped_

**User 08 >**  _Doubt it._

**>  ** _Not much we can do about it now._

**>**   _It's in the past, we just need to focus on escaping._

**DJ_Hyperfresh >**  _right_

**>  ** _but to make it up to you, you can have a ride on pearl's helicopter once you get out_

**User 08 >**  _For real?_

**DJ_Hyperfresh >**  _for real_

**>  ** _here's a pic to give you a teaser_

An image of a helicopter appeared on my screen. Pearl stood on the hood, both hands pointed up at the stars, a shit eating grin on her face. For someone so small, she sure seemed larger than life.

**DJ_Hyperfresh > ** _sorry_

**>  ** _pretty much all my pics have pearl in them_

**>**   _she's the best thing to ever happen to me_

**User 08 > ** _I think I know what you mean._

**DJ_Hyperfresh >** _do you have any pics to share_

**>**   _maybe we can make that a thing_

I didn't. But why not change that? After a brief hesitation, I rolled over toward my box full of stuff. I rifled through it, searching for the mem cakes I'd carefully hidden from Marie. I found the Squid Sisters pair I'd made a long time ago. I snapped a picture.

**User 08 > ** _I like making stuff. These were one of the first ever._

**DJ_Hyperfresh >** _cute!_

**>**   _Calamari Inkantation changed everything for you, too?_

**User 08 >**  _Yeah._

**DJ_Hyperfresh >**  _amazing what music can do_

**User 08 >**  _Yeah._

Movement from Marie's end.

"What are you doing?" she mumbled, voice drowsy. "You're so loud."

I smiled.

"Everything is going to be all right." 

I believed it, too.


	5. Glass Flows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the names of the chapters. Felt it was a bit bland before, lol.

We got off on line G01. I smiled.

"Oh, I know this one. I've actually passed it before. Let me show you, first."

Marie nodded, smirking a little. "Sure thing." 

I ignored her unspoken teasing, stepping out onto the platform. It gave me an octobrush. My favorite weapon. The handle felt warm and comfortable in my grip.

A burble. A rumble. And then, rising out of the ink, a monstrous thing. The octo oven. It towered over me, menacing. Many faces pressed against the glass panes, all of them made from toasted bread.

They lunged out at me, but I slammed my brush on the ground and zipped away.

"Huh, I wasn't bready for that," Marie said into one of the two earpieces I'd recently fashioned for us.

"Don't you  _dare._ " I flailed, spraying ink everywhere, before hopping onto the oven. 

I jumped from one extended loaf of bread to the next, nimble, all the way to the top. Marie and I practiced every day, and as a result I felt more agile then ever before. 

"Better not loaf around. Wouldn't want things to go a rye." She was doing the thing where a hint of a chuckle infected her deadpan response. It would've been cute if not for the fact that it annoyed the fuck out of me, and Marie knew it too.

I took out my anger on the octo oven's tentacle. It exploded, and I super jumped away to safety. 

"Marie, I swear on posquidon's beard --."

"Donut stop! You  _knead_ to keep going!" she interrupted me.

Octo oven reformed, spitting out columns of ink. Snipers pointed their red lasers in my direction. 

"I hate you."

With that, I chucked a burst bomb at the ground and moved in. One of the snipers nicked me, and my armor broke. Bright red-orange light shattered everywhere.

"Donut worry, Eight, this guy's toast," she assured me.

I just sighed, exasperated, and focused on the task at hand. Maybe the comm links were a mistake. 

* * *

 "The ends of those loaves were deadly. That's why I never eat the end slices," Marie told me on the train ride back. 

"You're having way too much fun right now," I retorted, grumpy. She smirked.

Beside us two flashlight eels texted on their phones. Marie, much like when I first arrived, had tried several times without success to communicate with them before giving up. Why most denizens of the deep ignored testers was a mystery I'd pondered on occasion. Perhaps they spoke another language entirely? It was difficult to say for sure.

"How close are we to our goal?" Marie asked me. I checked our C.Q. points. Marie splitting her points with me had set us back, but we'd recovered well. 

"Pretty close. I'd say one or two more tests will do the trick." 

I felt proud. Marie looked pleased, too, but then her expression clouded over. She glanced away. Before I could ask what was wrong, the doors to the train slid open. 

In strode a familiar crustacean; Iso Padre. A hush fell over the already quiet tram. He was large but moved on light feet, gripping a suitcase and various stuffed toys. He set them on the seat, slow and methodical. At last he turned and faced us.

"Beg your pardon, young squire. I had no idea you'd found a young madam," Iso Padre said, voice soft and sibilant. Marie looked revolted.

"Hey, Iso Padre. Where've ya been?" I asked. 

"I went for a ride to the moon." He folded his many arms. 

Neither Marie nor I responded at first. She edged further away, and I elbowed her side as discreetly as possible. Rude.  

"Forgive me if I caught you off guard. I hope I'm not off putting for the child," Iso Padre said. 

"Child?!" Marie exclaimed.

I elbowed her harder, and she let out an 'oof'. Never in a million years would I have imagined (twice) elbowing my idol even a week prior, yet here we were.

"This is Marie. She's a fellow tester," I said. Iso Padre nodded.

"I see. Folks around here call me Iso Padre, even though that's not my name. But it's the only one I recall. You have to hold onto what they let you keep, you know, and never let go."

Marie turned somber, as did I. A melancholic pallor fell over the three of us. At last I spoke. 

"By the way, do you have any more outfits you'd be willing to trade? Marie here is looking for something nicer to wear."

Marie touched her faded and worn jacket, appearing conflicted. She stayed quiet, however. 

"Do you have any more trinkets to trade, young squire? They're all I have left down in these depths, links to a forgotten past..." 

Marie tilted her head. I ignored her, shuffling toward Iso Padre. "I've got a couple more, yeah."

I showed him the mem cakes of Off the Hook I'd recently made. He inspected them, solemn and borderline reverent. Then Iso Padre shifted back, rifling through his suitcase.

"Found this the other day, friend." He showed us a bright yellow and black suit. Marie stood, eyes widening.

"That's the hero suit! Where did you get that?" she asked, startled. 

"Many long forgotten things wash up in this strange place," Iso Padre said.

Marie grabbed it from him. Curious intensity glinted in her golden gaze. She studied the outfit. "I'll take it."

"Something tells me it was already yours," Iso Padre said. "I pray that one day you'll cut through the gloom toward the light, and fulfill my dream in my stead. I was once a tester myself, but I dropped out long ago."

She frowned.

"Yeah. I'm going to go change. You better not follow to try and sneak a peak, perv," Marie told me. I flipped her off. 

She snickered and then left in search of a bathroom. Iso Padre stepped toward me. As much as I pretended otherwise, he really could be quite creepy. The soft voice, the imposing height, the black suit, the dark glasses covering his eyes -- I refrained from shrinking away with difficulty.

"You seem happier," he noted.

"I guess."

"You and I, we're all that remain of the old guard."

Depressing but true.

"Yeah." I shrugged. "I think... this is my chance, though. Marie and I are going to get through this together."

"I believe it. You and your friend have good vibes. Here's a gift." Iso Padre handed me a familiar package. Touched, I took it, smiling. 

"You don't have to do that... I can make more mem cakes, first..."

"No need," he said. "Good luck and safe travels, young squire." 

* * *

"What was the thing you gave him?" Marie adjusted her clothes.  

She looked cool in that bright yellow jacket. Lame. Why couldn't Iso Padre have given me the Hero Suit? Still, when she handed me back the old-timey jacket, I ended up slinging it over my shoulders. It was warm and it smelled nice, too. Maybe that was creepy but Marie didn't seem to care, so I'd rolled with it.

"It's a mem cake I made."

"A what?" She stopped fiddling with her collar to shoot me a droll stare. I scowled.

"They're like, erasers, sort of. I dunno. I find material down here and make them. Iso Padre really likes 'em for whatever reason." I didn't mention that they were linked with my memories, or lack thereof, and that whenever I made them I wrote a poem. That was too personal.

"Huh. Is that what you do with your hands sometimes? Make mem cakes?" Marie asked.

A ping went off. The subway door slid open. We walked out onto central station, and she waved at Tartar. I coughed.

"Uh, yeah, probably. It helps me keep calm."

"The one you gave him was cute," she said after a brief pause. I shrugged, hiding my pleasure behind nonchalance. 

"Thanks."

Curfew would soon be upon us. Tomorrow we'd get our first thang. I tried not to let my excitement show. Tangible success -- I could almost taste it. 

The CQ-80 pinged. I checked it, expecting more pictures from Marina. We'd shared quite a few already. Mine were inadequate in comparison, due to the dull and dreary state of my abode, but she never seemed to mind. Still, seeing the bright pictures of Inkopolis, knowing they were for me, rather than from a magazine, made me happy. 

Instead, the message was from Pearl.

**MC Princess >**  _yo yo yo_

**MC Princess >**  _marina snapped a random pic of me yesterday, said it was for you_

**MC Princess >**  _pretty sure that's like an invasion of privacy, but whatever_

**MC Princess >**  _figured i'd return the favor! BOOM!_

An image of Marina smiling at the camera and feeding Judd. It was adorable. 

**User 08 >**  _Thanks._

**MC Princess >**  _no prob_

"Are you talking to Marina again?" Marie asked. She'd settled down, sprawled out and laconic.  

"Nah. Pearl." I rifled through my stuff, searching for food. Marie fidgeted.

"So, do you and Marina have, y'know, a connection?" she asked. 

I shot her a weird look. Marie elaborated. "Since you're both octolings."

"Sort of, I guess." I held up a protein bar, triumphant, before munching on it. The loud crunch echoed in the silent station. "She's easy to talk to."

Not half so intimidating as the inkling across from me. The same inkling currently reaching over and snagging the CQ-80 resting beside me. "Oi."

"That reminds me, I found something in one of my gramp's octarian dossiers." Marie ignored my feeble protests. 

"How did you even --?"

She thrust the CQ-80 back toward me. "Check it."

A picture of an octoling, labelled Marina Ida. But she looked strange, wearing goggles and swathed in kelp. Reports beneath clinically explained her accomplishments and eventual disappearance. My stomach clenched and then I frowned.

"Wait, did you just post this in the chat?" 

"What?" Marie asked, taken aback. The transceiver crackled to life. 

"Uh, the hell is that?" Pearl asked.

"Whoops," Marie said. 

"Oh, for fuck's sake," I said, irritated. 

"Member of Flooder design team?" Pearl sounded baffled. A beat. Marie drew herself up, and I got a bad feeling about this. 

"Those things are ruthless splatting machines. They tried to do me and Callie and Agent 3 in more times than I can count." Marie expression turned indignant. 

"What? Nah, Marina wouldn't do that, she can't even hurt a fly," Pearl said. 

"Well, it's right there in the file." Marie scowled. I folded my arms and fixed her with an even stare. She wouldn't look at me.

"I mean, now that you mention it, Marina  _is_  totally obsessed with machines. And she's definitely the hardest working person I know." 

"Sounds like the octo agents I've fought before," Marie pointed out.

"Hey." I was ignored. 

"Hold up. You're not saying Marina is working for the Octarian army. Are you? I mean, we learned about those peeps in school, and yeah she's kind of a weirdo, but like..." Pearl now sounded a tad bit uncertain, losing some of her bravado. 

"It was just a file I found, that's all." Marie softened. 

"I --  _oh snap_ , I remember her saying something about the Calamari Inkantation changing her life! And it's right there in the file!" Pearl shouted. Both Marie and I started, and I went so far so to clap my hands over my ringing ears. 

"I... wait, what?" Now Marie sounded baffled. She checked the CQ-80 again. "Huh."

I just massaged my temples, staving off a headache.

"She might have some skeletons in her closet, but who doesn't, am I right? Marina is one of the best people I know." Pearl seemed confident again. Marie was only partially paying attention, biting her lip and lost in thought.

"Uh, yeah, she's okay, I guess," Marie said, distracted. 

"I swear, I don't care who you are, if you try to splat Marina, I  _will_ fuck you up. Ya got that?!"  Pearl growled, low and threatening. My jaw dropped. Marie froze, shooting me a wide eyed stare. 

"Um, right, sure," Marie said after a brief hesitation. 

"Good. Keep your head in the game, Eight." The line went dead. 

A long, awkward silence ensued. 

"Well, that just... happened," I said at last, rather lamely. 

"Sorry. I think I was out of line." Marie wrapped her arms around her knees, eyes clouded and moody.

"You don't need to apologize to me." I rolled over toward her, resting on my stomach and propping my chin in my hands. Marie smiled and laid down as well, on her back. 

"You were there when we fought DJ Octavio? You heard our song too? Like Marina?" she asked.

"Yeah."

She touched my cheek. I didn't move, suddenly unable to breathe. The air between us sharpened. Marie dropped her hand, reddening a little, the soft warmth of her hand lingering. "I didn't even realize... it wasn't... I didn't know. That you were there. Any of you."

I thought about this statement. "Good vibes. That's what Iso Padre told me, earlier. I heard somewhere, once -- I think, maybe it was a dream, dunno, doesn't matter -- that the only hope we have left is music and good vibrations. The energy you push out... people don't understand how important it is. Even if you didn't know me, then, I knew you, in that moment, and it changed me for the better. Same with Marina." 

Marie said nothing. I grabbed the CQ-80 and flopped onto my back. Holding it above our heads, I snapped a picture of us. 

"Isn't that, like, an invasion of privacy?" she asked. 

I laughed. The ceiling lights flickered, and almost looked like stars.


	6. Cocoa Butter Kisses

The walls of the train were smaller than usual. They closed in on me. A weight pressed against my chest. I swallowed with difficulty.

Marie stared at an invisible point opposite us. Lights streaked past. Deadf1sh's music played, piped in over the speakers.

The first thang awaited us. I didn't know what to expect. That terrified me. There was a comfort in the known and the understood, even if it resulted in stagnation.

I touched my headset. Nothing on the other end. We hadn't heard from Marina or Pearl for quite some time. Not since the argument with Pearl, if it could even be called that. Neither of us remarked on it, but it added another anxiety onto my ever-growing list.  

The train slowed to a halt. SMASH & DASH station flashed across the LED strip. We'd arrived. A lump clogged my throat.

"Right, let's fucking _go_ ," I said, more to myself than anything.

Warm orange light cast the room in a burnished glow. Drums thudded from somewhere unseen, a driving cadence. Before us stood a gate, impassable and impregnable. Marie swiped her CQ-card and stepped through. I followed.

So expensive. I twitched a bit at the number of zeroes. But we had enough. I had enough.

It armed us with a splattershot. I held the weapon close, paranoia doubling. The room narrowed into a corridor, and I couldn't see what lay beyond it. Panic immobilized me.

I was scared. I was _so_ scared.

"Marie?" My voice sounded small even to my own ears. She paused, looking over her shoulder at me. "C-could... could I hold your hand?"   

Marie blinked. Then she blushed. "Yeah, sure."

She walked back. Her palms were sweaty, but her grip was steady. I breathed a little easier.

"Thanks."

I didn't move. She started to walk again, met resistance, and stopped.

"Hey," Marie said. I glanced at her. "Any fin is possible, we made it this far. Don't trout yourself."

I started and then snorted. "Shut up."

She smirked. I felt better -- braver, even. Marie squeezed my hand, reassuring, and we moved forward. One step. And another, and then another.

A strange light waited for us at the end of the tunnel. It opened up into a room. Trains on tracks leading nowhere surrounded us. Strange purple smoke shrouded the area.

In the center stood a pedestal. _Something,_ I couldn't tell what it was, floated within a curious orb. Marie hefted her splattershot.

"Wait." I pulled her back. My trap senses tingled. "We should secure the perimeter."

"There's no one here, Eight." Her expression was droll.

"Never trust these people, Marie, they're evil incarnate."

I let go of her hand, albeit reluctantly, almost immediately missing the comforting pressure, and then prowled around. Marie folded her arms. I spiraled closer to the mysterious object. Her foot began tapping against the ground. I kicked a stray piece of rubble at it, and the rubble bounced harmlessly off.

"Right, good enough for me." Marie aimed her splattershot and fired.

"Shit!" I jumped back.   

The orb swelled, exploded, and sprayed ink everywhere. I wiped away a glob of pink paint, irritated.

"See? Piece of crab cake."

"You could've killed us," I said.

"But I didn't." Marie rolled her eyes.

"But you _could've_ \-- wait!"

Too late. Marie walked toward the object and touched it. I braced myself for intense, gruesome pain. Nothing happened. She ran a finger along the sharp ridges of the thang, brow cocked.

"Huh. Weird," she said. Curiosity finally overcame my caution, and I crept forward.  "What is it?"

"A thang, duh." I touched it too. It felt smooth and cool. I felt... almost... _disappointed_.

Marie laid her hand over my own. I shot her a surprised look. She didn't meet my gaze, biting her lip in concentration. Until that moment, I hadn't realized quite how small and pale her hands were in contrast to mine.

A loud victory jingle played, breaking the spell. Marie pulled away. I cleared my throat, heat rising up my face. "Uh, right. We should probably get this out of here."

"Yeah." She was inscrutable.

On impulse, I took out my CQ-80 and took a picture of us together with the thang. This was a moment worth remembering.

* * *

"You da bomb fo rizzle! You got the first thang! Find all four and you will [ERORR] the promised land. Keep on keeping on!" Tartar exclaimed.

"Thanks. What even is it, though?" Marie asked.

"A thang, duh."

I laughed. "Hey, you really have improved his database."

Marie just rolled her eyes. "Whatever. It's weird, but no weirder than this place. As long as it gets us out, I don't care."

"Yeet skeet fleet deleet!" Tartar said.

"I take it back, you made him worse." I grimaced and she smirked.

In celebration, we splurged some of our surplus points on the candy machine. Marie turned on Pearl's music playlist. We'd listened to is so many times I'd memorized all the words.

"I think I'm turning into a metalhead," Marie commented.

I snorted. “Need more leather first.”

Leaning against rows of lockers, I took out Iso Padre's gift and a lighter. Marie had sprawled out on the blankets, nibbling at her chocolate, but sat up.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Gunna have a smoke." I showed her the seaweed blunt.

Her mouth dropped open. She stared at me. I just lit up, unconcerned. Once the tip started glowing cherry red I took a drag.

Smoke lingered in my throat, accompanied by a salty tang. Iso Padre called it dancing with danger, and since we did it every day anyway, we might as well enjoy ourselves for once. I agreed. The high hit a few seconds later. Marie suddenly seemed far away.

"Can I try?" She almost seemed uncertain.

Surprised, I blinked, before walking toward her. I flopped onto my back, theatrical. Marie chuckled in response. Then I held out the cigar. She stopped laughing, expression odd. After a moment she took it, a bit gingerly.

Marie placed the cigar in her mouth and inhaled. Almost immediately she began coughing, spraying smoke everywhere. Her outline became hazy and indistinct. I laughed.

"Don't swallow."

The beat of the music pulsed in the background.

"Good to know." Marie rolled her eyes. She tried again, and this time succeeded. I clapped, sarcastic, and she kicked my foot.

"Ow. And after I shared my stash with you and everything." I rolled away.

Marie gave me back the blunt. She laid on her side, watching me, solemn. Something changed between us.

I puffed on the cigar, lips tingling, and then handed it to her. We traded back and forth for a time, sharing secondhand kisses and secondhand smoke.

_Show me that you're real_

_Come get lost inside the cloud_

_Rather get along_

"This is against the rules, you know," Marie said softly.

"Rules?"

"Yeah. The agency that signed Callie and me... there were rules. No illicit substances, no profanity, and definitely no sexual relationships."

It took an eternity for her words to sink in.

"Pearl swears all the time," I said, because I was an idiot. 

"Pearl's father owns, like, half of Inkopolis."

I laughed. It wasn't very funny. Smoke wreathed around us. Marie became indistinct, almost ephemeral. 

"Does that bother you?" I asked.

She didn't respond right away.

"Dunno. Never put much thought into it. I only ever wanted to be around Callie. She was the one with the big plans, the big dreams, I just... liked being with her. She's the moon, and when the tide goes out, I get swept up in the current." She sounded dreamy and far out of my reach.

The blunt burned out. I fumbled for another one. Marie was a quick study. She took the lighter and lit up for me.

"Gramps always talks about how Calamari Inkantation is, like, a heavenly melody. But we were just having fun making music together. That’s all it was s’posed to be, not some crazy anthem that frees people from mind control and shit. At least for me."

"Huh." I blew a ring of smoke. I got the sense she was trying to tell me something important. "Well, y'know what they say, there are no accidents, only happy mistakes."

Marie's brow furrowed. Then she snickered. "That's not the saying, you rube."

"Close enough."

We both laughed. It still wasn't very funny, but that didn't matter much. Our laughter spiraled up with the smoke, to the rhythm of the beat.

"Fuck. I've never told anyone that before. Not even Callie." Wonder tinted her voice.

"Lot's of firsts for you, today," I said idly. Or maybe 'for the first time in forever' was more accurate.  

Marie propped herself up on her elbow, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. She studied me, lidded golden eyes glittering. A flush was creeping up her neck. She touched my jacket. The warmth of her hand burned straight through, setting my sensitive skin on fire. I shivered.

"I really hate this jacket, you know."

Marie's hand drifted up, tracing the zipper and the collar, then along my neck and cheek. She plucked the blunt from my lips. I realized, then, why I'd failed the tests time and time again.

I was a fucking coward.

I turned aside. My heart threatened to beat straight out of my chest. I stuffed my hands in the pockets of the old-timey jacket. "I like it. It's retro. And it keeps me warm."

A pause. “Yeah, that’s true.”

I couldn't bring myself to look at her.


End file.
